SUNDAY GRAVY: LeBron James learned lesson from ‘The Decision’

LeBron James returning home to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers is a story worthy of Hollywood, but Register columnist Chip Malafronte adds that with ‘The Decision, Part II,’ he deserted a loyal group of Heat teammates that helped him reach four straight NBA Finals.
The Associated Press File Photo

The Decision, Part II was tasteful, sincere and professional. Looks like LeBron James needs to be commended on his maturation and improved sense of self-awareness. Either that or he hired a much better team of publicists. At any rate, we were still a little disappointed LeBron didn’t hold a press conference to announce he was “returning his talents to the Cuyahoga River.” Burn on, big river.

• James handled this free agency cycle just fine, though really, only a fool wouldn’t have learned from the fiasco that was “The Decision.” But at its core, he’s deserting a loyal if aging group in Miami that’s reached four straight NBA Finals for more money and a better situation to propel his personal legacy. The prodigal son returns angle, especially if he wins a title in Cleveland, is worthy of Hollywood. It’s his prerogative. Just remember there’s more to this than classy spin from a scarred superstar.

• So much for the home field advantage. The closest American sports equivalent for Germany’s 7-1 throttling of Brazil in the World Cup semifinal on Tuesday is the 1940 NFL Championship game between Washington and Chicago. The Redskins, by virtue of a regular-season victory over the Bears, were seen as favorites. But the Bears went on to win 73-0.

• Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka elbow ligament injury is classified as a “partial” tear. I’m certainly not an orthopedist. But has anyone ever accidentally ripped a shirt and described it as a partial tear? Sure sounds like we won’t see Mr. Tanaka again for 12 to 18 months.

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• At least Yankee fans can bask in Derek Jeter’s farewell tour for the final three months. Cleveland gave him a Les Paul guitar (we’re jealous) and his last All-Star appearance comes Tuesday night.

• Vegas has already made Cleveland a 4-to-1 favorite to win the NBA title next season. The Heat? 50-to-1.

• Would love to see Vegas determine the odds of Hartford actually building a minor league baseball stadium. The city backed off its plan to provide $60 million for the Rock Cats new home, and is now searching for private investors. Good luck with that.

• Clayton Kershaw doesn’t want to hear comparisons between himself and Sandy Koufax. But the newest Dodger left-handed ace stacks up favorably. Consider that his recent scoreless innings streak of 41, fifth-longest in the history of baseball, is only his second most impressive feat of the past three weeks. His June 18 no-hitter, which featured no walks and 15 strikeouts, was rated as the second-best single game pitching performance of all time by Bill James.

• Bummed we missed Warrant at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den this week. But it brought up a good question. Is there any honest-to-goodness rock and roll frontmen under the age of 40? And by frontman, we mean singers who are true showmen. Where have you gone, David Lee Roth?

• Ozzie Guillen best summarized A.J. Pierzynski by once saying, ““If you play against him, you hate him. If you play with him, you hate him a little less.” Those in the Red Sox clubhouse who anonymously bashed Pierzynski after he was designated for assignment might say the difference is negligible.

• St. Louis Blues forward Jaden Schwartz announced via Twitter he’ll change his uniform number to 17 this year in honor of his late sister, former Yale women’s player Mandi Schwartz.

• Orange’s Liam Ferguson was among the free agent invitees to the New York Islanders developmental camp this week at the Nassau Coliseum. He played at Fairfield Prep, graduated from Brunswick and will play in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League this winter.

• One of the many companies run by Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is Fathead, which makes life-sized wall decals of professional athletes. In 2010, he slashed the price of LeBron James’ Cavaliers Fathead to $17.41, the year of Benedict Arnold’s birth. Then there was the letter Gilbert posted online calling James “narcissistic,” “cowardly,” and “selfish.” Four years later, LeBron and Gilbert will reunite. I guess it’s true. The passion for money is never fickle.

• Why is the World Cup trophy so puny? It looks like a hood ornament.

• Former Masuk outfielder Thomas Milone, a third-round pick of the Rays last June, is playing for Princeton (West Virginia) of the short-season Class A Appalachian League, managed by ex-New Haven Ravens skipper Danny Sheaffer. Milone is batting .300 in 20 games.

• Saddened to hear of the passing of John Egana, a former Amity football linebacker, professional jai-alai player and beloved Wallingford youth coach. Just 44, he lost his battle with cancer last week. A surgical technician the past decade, he was known for a big heart. On occasion, he might slip a young athlete from a family that was struggling with finances into his facility for X-rays. Friends say that just the kind of guy he was, a great family man and coach who’ll be missed by all who knew him.